The first Focus Day to be held in Gugu S’Thebe Cultural Centre, in the township of Langa, was on the theme of Theatre for Social Change. What follows is a summary of the day, told through quotes from the speakers, performers, participants and other audience members.
“Hope,” “Insight,” “Real intercultural exchange,” “Dance,” “Dialogue,” “Theatre” – Participants
“It was so much more than I expected” – Participant and Audience Member
“To know where you’re going, you need to know what happened in the past” – Nomancube Gala, Administrator at Langa Museum, South Africa.
“…xenophobia, also comes from not knowing who you are.” – Participant
“I do not belong to one nationality, I am me. […] The stage is not something sacred, the stage is a space [for everyone]” – Ada Mukhina, Founder VMESTE, Russia
On Making Verbatim Theatre…..
“It might be important to question whose version of knowing or truth telling we are currently being asked to listen to when it comes to those who are seeking asylum” – Kate Brown, Theatre Maker, Ireland
“Children have a voice. […] I can just turn up the volume” – Kate Brown, Theatre Maker, Ireland
On Effecting Change Through Theatre…
“Just because we don’t get affected, doesn’t mean we don’t have to speak up […] Bring the change! Be the change! Change the tales you say!” – Priyanka Chatterjee, Art Explorer and Performance Artist, India
